


hola, gatito.

by hanzo shimada (ubercharge)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, BAJA BLAST, Bottom Genji, Boys Kissing, Dancing, Dicks, Drama, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Genji is a slut, M/M, Minor Violence, Oral Sex, Porn with Feelings, Romance, oh so THAT'S the blowjobs tag holy fuck, the unholy trifecta, these tags are actually kinda fun, top reaper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-28 07:24:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7630612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ubercharge/pseuds/hanzo%20shimada
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Genji has a crush on Captain Reyes. It stays with him for years, even after Gabriel Reyes’ death in the Swiss Headquarters explosion. Genji isn’t sure why he can’t get over these silly romantic feelings, but it helps when he meets Reaper - both a dangerous enemy to Overwatch and a surprisingly good dancer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i thought about you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was intended to be a oneshot but i split it up for easier reading. because of that, i recommend reading it in one go if possible! but it should still read fine otherwise.
> 
> genreaper is one of my favourite overwatch ships and it’s a rarepair. it’s a goddamn rarepair. god is fake. so as any reader of weglaufen will understand, i had to take things into my own hands. life is so hard //

Genji was jealous. He was not a jealous man by nature, but there were some aspects of being human that would never leave him, no matter what parts made up his physical body. He thought even more of his organic pieces could be replaced by artificial fibres and wires and everything else that had been built into him, but he would still feel the same way. He couldn’t help it.

Every single time he saw Jack Morrison laugh - he was a ray of sunshine when he laughed, and Genji knew it - or smile at Gabriel Reyes’ side, Genji felt a twinge of pain in his chest as he wished he was there instead. It was a deep ache that he tried his best to ignore, but at night, he was lonely.

He didn’t hold it against Jack for being who he was. In fact, Genji quite liked Jack. He was kind, friendly, and overall a positive person. He treated everyone well, Genji included. As Angela was a staunch advocate for peace, Jack was the same way with justice and doing good.

Jack and Gabriel were two very different people. But Genji didn’t need to hear the rumours, didn’t need to see them kiss or touch to know of their relationship. He could see it in Gabriel’s eyes. Nobody else made him light up the same way. When Gabriel looked at Jack, his gaze was nothing but love, pure love and adoration that could never be hidden by his cold exterior. When Jack elbowed him or cracked a bad joke, he acted gruff and uncaring, but those eyes hid nothing. They were dark and deep and rich and a beautiful shade of brown. Genji could get lost in them for hours.

He never had the chance to, of course.

Gabriel was one of the few people who made eye contact with him, solid eye contact that most others couldn’t do simply because of the mask. It was hard to make eye contact with someone when you couldn’t see their eyes, even if it was clear where they were. Angela was the same, always making eye contact, and she had a warm gaze. But when Gabriel made eye contact, it was dramatic. It wasn’t warm; it was hot like fire and Genji knew that Gabriel would never look at him the way he looked at Jack, but Genji could tell he cared. When Gabriel made eye contact, Genji knew Gabriel cared about him. Whatever cold, dismissive, or downright harsh words were coming out of his mouth, no matter if his brow was furrowed or if his fists were clenched, there was the lightest note of softness and Genji could always, always see it in his eyes.

He’d watch Gabriel and Jack walk around together, getting breakfast or heading to the gym or just chatting about nothing. They were best friends, as far as most of the world was concerned. Of course they would spend so much time with each other. Beside each other. And they were careful, too. Genji was a stealth expert, could be sitting and relaxing in a room and not be noticed by other occupants, but not once had he seen Jack and Gabriel show affection towards each other. Some of their words could be seen as flirtatious, if anyone really wanted to read into it, but they didn’t hold hands or anything. Genji had trouble believing Jesse’s claim, sworn on his mother’s grave, that he’d seen Jack and Gabriel kiss. Once. When they’d assumed they were alone.

Even Genji, who spent much of his time watching Gabriel as subtly as possible, had never seen the two make their love for each other clear. Not physically, though in other ways. For starters, Gabriel didn’t smile genuinely for many people. Nor could many people make him smile genuinely. A few times Genji had seen Gabriel smile and he swore each time that he’d sell the heavens to the devil if he could only see Gabriel smile again.

Genji could no longer deny to himself that he wanted Gabriel. He wondered if Gabriel knew it. It was unlikely; Genji had excellent self-control and didn’t betray the truth even in one-on-one conversation. He was sure if people could see his face it’d be easier to see his crush, but thankfully they couldn’t. Genji hadn’t told a soul and he held his secrets close. His sole confidant, his older brother, wasn’t exactly available for deep, heart-wrenching conversations. So Genji loved, and he loved in secret.

His gaze often lingered on Gabriel’s ass and thighs. He wondered if Gabriel wore those pants, that Blackwatch uniform, just to drive others up the wall. All things considered, Gabriel likely had a hand in designing or at least choosing the outfit. He looked good in it. Genji wondered if Jack thought the same, if Jack had told him in private before tugging those pants off. Damn. He had one fine ass, he really did. Genji wasn’t so shy as to prevent himself from staring, especially when Gabriel did that thing where he put his elbows on the counter to talk to someone on the other side, and his back was arched a little and, well, Genji could stare at his backside all he wanted.

If he’d give up the heavens to see Gabriel smile, he wasn’t even sure how much he’d give to sleep with Gabriel. Maybe not even sleep, but just to service him. Even if it was only once. Genji would give anything, he thought, anything and everything if he could only worship at the altar that was Gabriel’s thighs. And he’d do it without hesitation, if only Gabriel asked. Genji would not waste a single second in being no more than a submissive, devoted servant to his god. If only.

During his reconstruction, he had been pretty neutral on the matter of being able to have sex. He had bigger things on his mind. Namely Hanzo, but also his task to take out his family’s clan. Angela hadn’t insisted, but she seemed rather enthusiastic about the idea, about all the potential tests that could be run. It wasn’t everyday they could examine a cyborg whom they’d built. Genji didn’t really understand her and the rest of the science types around Overwatch, but he’d relented. He was rather fond of her and supposed one day, maybe he’d want to have sex with reckless abandon again.

He was amazing at satisfying others sexually, and he knew it. If he’d learned anything from his youth, it was that one: he was great at sex, and two: Hanzo’s favourite food was peaches.

There was so much Genji was willing to do for Gabriel. He knew Hanzo wouldn’t approve, but then again, Hanzo approved of maybe three or four things, maximum, in the whole wide world. Sometimes Genji wondered how Hanzo would react if Jesse flirted with him as Jesse was a shameless flirt. He found it an amusing thought to entertain because Hanzo would never, ever reciprocate. 

Genji’s fingertips rapped against his cup of tea. The cafeteria tables were lonely in the late afternoon. After lunch and before dinner, few ever occupied the room as they had more important work to tend to than a snack. One of the trainees had dozed off at another table, strands of their hair spilling into their noodles. At the sound of loud footfalls - Genji would recognize those boots anywhere - he perked up.

“Captain Reyes,” he greeted, standing and bowing.

The other trainee sprang to life at the sound of that, clearing their plate and leaping out of the room. Gabriel watched them go, brow furrowed in disapproval.

“How many times do I have to tell you? Just call me Gabriel,” he said, sitting down across from Genji.

Genji’s heart fluttered. This meant something, didn’t it? Something? Gabriel preferred to sit alone when Jack and Ana weren’t around. Angela was one of the few who dared to sit with him and engage him in conversation despite his prickly demeanour. Most others didn’t bother trying.

“How was work today?” Genji asked.

“Fine,” Gabriel replied gruffly.

That response hardly warranted another reply to go with it, but Genji shivered on the inside. He loved the sound of Gabriel’s voice. Would he keep talking, if Genji replied? Or would he clam up, as he did sometimes to show he didn’t feel like making conversation? It wasn’t as if Genji wasn’t used to that kind of silence; Hanzo hadn’t been the best talker. He’d solved his problems by sword. Genji wondered if Gabriel would appreciate the potential innuendo there. Genji knew he’d certainly appreciate Gabriel trying to sort this out by _sword._

“Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Not today. Are you worried about me?” Genji asked, resting his head against his hand.

Gabriel glowered at him. “No,” he said. “As your superior officer-”

“You’re not my superior officer.”

Gabriel took a deep breath, and looked down at the table to deliver his order to the touchscreen menu surface.

“Is something the matter, Captain Reyes? I am not trying to antagonize you.”

“None of your business,” Gabriel snapped. Genji smiled under his mask even though he knew he shouldn’t have. Gabriel continued, “I don’t make it a point to remember everyone else’s schedule, but I know you’re supposed to be working most of the time.”

Genji laughed. “You do not need to be concerned with my daily activities, Captain Reyes,” he said.

For a while, Genji, head still on his hand, relaxed. Gabriel ate, checked the weather on his phone, read up on the news. It projected out in a hologram and the newsperson’s voice added a pleasant din. Genji’s finger tapped soundlessly against the table. He could hear a part of his internal systems whirring.

“Aren’t you going to drink your tea?” Gabriel asked before spearing a French fry with his fork.

“Hm?” Genji asked, not even bothering to look away because Gabriel had looked up to say that. And his eyes pulled Genji in. There was a certain magnetism to him...

“It’s getting cold,” Gabriel said.

“Of course.”

“You shouldn’t waste food or drink.”

“What are you eating, Captain Reyes?”

Gabriel looked down at his plate as if seeing it for the first time.

“Pollo a la Brasa.”

“Is that food from your culture?”

“No.” Gabriel frowned. “Drink your tea,” he added.

Genji, still smiling, rolled his eyes before reaching behind his head. He removed the mask, set it on the table with great care, and sipped his tea. It was lukewarm. Gabriel had really long eyelashes. Genji’s face didn’t flush; he had good self-control, but, well... maybe he got just a little bit more red.

Gabriel prodded at his salad. He watched Genji smiling at him for an analytical moment before returning to his food and resuming the news broadcast. There was a fire somewhere. The department was putting the building out.

Genji ordered more tea. Gabriel ate his chicken. Genji thought that the universe must be very, very kind to him. He traced with his eyes the curves and angles of Gabriel’s face. Those cheekbones, that nose, his lips, his jaw. Genji wished he could press his palm against Gabriel’s cheek and feel him, his heat, just feel him. Touch him. He was so, so beautiful. Genji wanted to plant kisses on his eyelids and nibble his ear and hold him and...

“Something the matter?”

“No, Captain Reyes,” Genji replied immediately.

Gabriel looked suspicious but didn’t press the matter.

Genji eventually put his mask back on and he stared because he couldn’t get enough of Gabriel Reyes, he stared and he stared and he fantasized and wished because he was hopelessly in love. He would miss Gabriel when it was finally time to be sent off to Hanamura for his ultimate task. He wished he could ask for advice, what it was like to fight and hurt and kill with a purpose in mind, what it was like to be on a _mission._ But he didn’t.

Instead, he kept staring.

 

Was it freeing to cut people’s arms off? Was it freeing to cut people’s lives short? Blood sprayed the air and leaked down, down, down into the ground. Soft thuds as bodies fell. Sickening crunches and cracks as bones were snapped in half, fragmented into countless tiny pieces.

Genji let go of the man’s wrist, the wrist with the now broken watch and now broken bones.

That hadn’t been very professional.

Before his mind was fully aware of what he’d heard, he’d darted back into the shadows. Voices floated by. Statements turned to exclamations turned to shouts. Warnings rippled past, dissolved, until Genji could hear no more Japanese. It was all a muffled drone in his head. He might’ve hummed to himself, a peaceful tune from his youth. Perhaps a memory, a tune in a television show he and Hanzo used to watch, or a song they used to sing together.

Cut and cut and cut. More blood, more bodies. Back into the shadows. There were so many people here tonight, and they were all so fragile. Genji watched the dark crimson pool expand beneath a person’s neck, one of the people, it didn’t matter which. Their suit was stained.

Genji knew he didn’t have to kill everyone, not really. He could’ve divulged secrets, then blackmailed people. He could’ve found other ways to suppress his family’s criminal empire. Overwatch had given him free rein of the mission. He was his own boss and it had been a risk they’d been willing to take. Genji had chosen the fastest route out: mass murder.

Another person shouting and yelling. Genji flexed his wrist, turned, fired. Two of the shuriken had punctured the person’s lung. A third, their throat. They fell and coughed and bled and - Genji was so far gone he wasn’t sure if he’d really heard it or not - prayed.

One more person. Three more stars. Thunk, thunk, thunk. What a mess. Someone would have to clean that up, and maybe they would, if anyone in the building was still alive. Genji made the rounds again. He didn’t find anyone new. He left.

 

For a while, Genji waited. The weight of his deeds drifted with him. Sometimes he imagined each individual whom he’d killed as another spirit floating behind him, whispering to him, asking him why he did it. In time, their voices faded. Not because he no longer felt guilt for murdering them, but because he’d both grown numb to their cries and had other things to worry about.

He knew Overwatch wanted him back.

He knew they wouldn’t force him if he didn’t return. He’d almost finished fulfilling his duty, after all. It seemed they understood that to force him back would be akin to caging a wild animal.

Genji looked out at the city, neon lights and skyscrapers gleaming and glimmering in the night. The monorails sped past. Cars honked. Life went on. Genji knew his job was almost done. He was running out of people to kill, if he wanted to think of the matter bluntly.

He poked at his takoyaki. It was cold. He didn’t have to eat it. Actual fuel was more efficient for his cyborg body, but he didn’t feel like a person if he stopped eating for too long.

He knew he wasn’t going back to Overwatch, and it hurt his heart to know that. It hadn’t been too long since he’d last updated Overwatch on his mission status - nearing completion - and it hadn’t been too long since he’d had a conversation with Angela. She always set aside time to talk to him, and Genji appreciated that. But a part of him hurt and he knew why, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

He missed Gabriel.

On nights he was alone, he thought of Gabriel. For a little while, as his systems cooled him off, he felt less lonely. He hoped that Gabriel was happy. That he and Jack were treating each other well, if they were still together.

If.

Genji was ashamed to admit it, but that _‘if’_ gave him a sick sense of hope. He knew Gabriel had been happier with Jack than without, and yet... He still wished it could’ve be him in Gabriel’s arms. He wished it could’ve been him in Gabriel’s bed, listening to him mumble sweet nothings in Spanish.

Genji flexed his fingers. He wanted them to be intertwined with Gabriel’s.

If he didn’t return to Overwatch, would they ever see each other again? It seemed unlikely.

If he didn’t see Gabriel again, would he get over this crush?

He wasn’t sure.

A woman and an omnic, both in suits, exited a restaurant. Genji climbed down from his perch, which had been the dark windowsill of a tall building, and dropped down to tail them. He added two to his mental tally. He could already hear their voices enveloping him. Those imagined voices would be louder right after the kill. That was inevitable.

In time, they would fade.

They always did.

 

Genji was in Norway when he heard. Overwatch was on its last legs now, wasn’t it? Without Jack and Gabriel... Even though Genji had abandoned the organization, hearing about its oncoming demise didn’t exactly cheer him up. He didn’t want to accept it, even if it was all over the news. Some cried. Some were grim. Some were _happy._

“Overwatch is a threat to world peace,” an angry man had said on the news. “We’re all better off without it.”

But Genji felt as if part of him had just been torn away. Had Angela been at the Swiss headquarters when it blew up? He soon found out she was safe, and that was a relief. How many were dead? From this destructive infighting, how many people had lost their lives?

Genji stared at the screen. Clips of the wreckage, still smouldering. Had that really been it? The Swiss HQ? It seemed like just yesterday Genji had been there. For how long, for what job, he didn’t recall, but that had to be it. He recognized it.

Gabriel Reyes was dead.

Genji didn’t want to believe it. He knew very well that if anyone was to survive that awful explosion, it would be Gabriel and Jack. That wasn’t hope against reason; that was the simple logic of the matter. Those supersoldier enhancements they’d been subjected to... Maybe there was a chance.

In a few days, Genji saw the news talking about the funeral service for Gabriel, Jack, agents of Overwatch. Agents of Blackwatch. He turned his phone off and sat for a while. He felt numb. He didn’t feel anything.

How many years had it been? He remembered the last conversation he’d had with both of them, both of them who had been there to send him off. He’d known he’d be in Hanamura for a while to fulfill his duty, and he told them, told everyone he’d miss them.

Then he completed his mission, turned his back on Overwatch. He could’ve gone back. He could’ve gone back, and he could’ve seen everyone again. He could’ve seen Gabriel again. It had been so long since he’d last seen Gabriel and now he was dead.

Genji would never get to see him again.

He almost laughed to himself, because hadn’t he told himself he’d get over this crush?

 

So that was what had become of Hanzo. Genji had known they would fight, because fighting was in Hanzo’s nature. Though he had to admit he’d been hoping Hanzo had mellowed with age. But... this was the man who annually honoured the person he’d tried to kill with his own hands. Or sword, to be exact. Genji lingered on the castle roof, where he knew Hanzo wouldn’t check for his presence. He hadn’t needed to do that since they were teenagers, when Genji would hide to annoy him.

Hanzo was inside. Maybe he was praying. Genji laughed, he actually laughed out loud at the very thought. No, of course not. Brooding seemed much more likely. He was tempted to visit next spring to see if Hanzo would be here again. It was possible, wasn’t it? Amidst these familiar cherry blossom trees, petals falling, it seemed anything was possible.

As for what Hanzo would be thinking or doing, Genji couldn’t say.

The moon was great and pale. Genji leaned back against the roof tiles to count stars. He hummed a song to himself, something from his childhood. Back when he and Hanzo watched television shows and sang songs together. It had a peaceful melody.

Genji could almost hear Zenyatta’s voice. Talking to him about his anger, his inner turmoil, the conflict he had with himself and the parts of him that were machine. The parts of him that were still human. He was still human.

He stretched a hand out to the air, turned it, and observed his palm. He flexed his fingers. He tapped at the white plating. He rested his hands back down, one on top of the other, over his chest.

The stars glimmered. He continued humming.

Overwatch had issued a recall.

He thought about Gabriel.

He closed his eyes.

 

Genji had made it a habit to keep up with international news. He thought it was good to be aware of the world around him, especially now that Overwatch was reforming. In secret, of course; it was very much illegal and Genji didn’t take that lightly. If he was going to be honest, he didn’t really want to go back to Overwatch. All it did was remind him of what he’d done so many years ago to his family’s clan, and Gabriel’s death.

If he was going to be honest, he wouldn’t call it ‘mourning’. No, hearing about Gabriel’s death had broken his heart.

The emotional scars still hurt when he thought about it.

He tried not to think about it.

Genji would tell Zenyatta just about anything. He trusted the omnic, he really did. He knew Zenyatta was a good person, understanding, trustworthy. But he’d never told Zenyatta about his feelings for Gabriel, which persisted still.

The wounds stung less now. It had been years since Gabriel’s death, so of course it hurt less. The pain faded slowly but surely. It would be a gradual healing process, but he had to believe the shock wouldn’t cling to him forever.

Genji picked up the photograph he kept of himself and Hanzo. Himself with bright green hair and that orange scarf Hanzo had given him, Hanzo with those silly bangs and looking grumpy as ever. His arms were crossed. Genji was smiling. The sun had been shining that day, bright in a clear blue sky. The air had filled with laughter - Genji’s, of course. But he’d gotten Hanzo to laugh with him eventually. He always did.

Genji wished, when Hanzo was in Hanamura, he could’ve swung back down into the castle and... talked. Not about anything serious. He didn’t want to think about any serious topics. But he missed joking around with Hanzo, and Hanzo occasionally joking back. Genji relaxed. Maybe one day.

He laced his fingers together.

Maybe one day, he and Hanzo could talk again. Then Genji could finally tell someone about what had bothered him for literal years. Every time Genji thought maybe he could forget Gabriel and Overwatch and Jack and Ana and _Gabriel,_ he saw in his mind’s eye Gabriel’s smile. Then his resolve would crumble, and he’d hurt again.

Gabriel had the most beautiful smile in the whole world. Genji’s hands balled up into fists. If only he could see it again. If only he could move on. If only Gabriel was alive. If only, if only, if only.

 

There was so much happening in the world. Genji had yet to get in contact with Overwatch proper, though he’d learned it was Winston who’d sent the recall order. That made sense. He didn’t think it could be Jack, what with him being dead and all. There were quite a few stories about the omnic crisis in Russia, rising tensions between humans and omnics, and the terrorist group Talon. Maybe all of this was why Winston sent that message out.

Genji kept a close eye on the news. He was worried about his former comrades, though he knew they were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. But he did miss Angela dearly, hoping she was doing good now. Zenyatta often asked him what was bothering him. Sometimes they’d talk about it. Sometimes Genji just wanted to meditate and be alone with his thoughts before they melted away. He had so many thoughts.

He heard Gérard Lacroix’s wife, Amélie, was a part of Talon. Genji felt like he’d known this for a while, but had never really considered it. Talon hadn’t been his business; that had been the Shimada Clan. He wondered how much of a threat the group was.

On another day, another time, he heard of the Reaper. Or maybe it was just Reaper. He wasn’t concerned with the semantics. He _was_ concerned about Winston, though he knew Winston was fine now. Whatever had gone down in Watchpoint: Gibraltar, whatever had happened in his fight with Reaper, well, that situation was defused.

A black-robed terrorist leaving death in their wake. How scary. There were all these dangerous people out and about, and Genji thought maybe he should do something to help. Or was that an idea he’d been imbued with from having spent too much time around Ana and Jack?

He studied the palms of his hands, hands he’d gotten used to having and had accepted. He knew he could help the world, if he tried, he could help. His head swam with the possibilities before he got up to look for Zenyatta.

“Master, how do you feel about travelling?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \\\ i listened to 'love like you'/'right by you' from steven universe's ending a lot. it really worked with my energy in relation to writing this, and it's a wonderful song.


	2. i thought about holding you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [square brackets] for japanese. //

Winston had been happy to hear Genji would be visiting him shortly, but he’d been given a task first. If he could handle it. Genji didn’t think that whatever he had to do with be hard, because he’d already gone through so much. Plenty of Overwatch missions had been challenging. Not to mention, he’d singlehandedly demolished his family's criminal syndicate.

“Track down your brother and bring him with you.”

Damn. Well that wouldn’t be easy, but Genji wasn’t deterred. Winston had given him access to a huge database rife with people’s travel information. If Hanzo was travelling legally like a good law-abiding citizen - judging by the data, he was - then he could be found. Everything was digitized, convenient, accessible. Thanks to Overwatch, at least, it was accessible.

Genji, with Zenyatta in tow, headed to Svendborg, Denmark. He had no idea why Hanzo would be in Denmark, but he didn’t feel the need to question it. From what Genji had learned over the past decade, Hanzo was a mercenary. He probably had a hit. Genji didn’t want to interfere with his job, assassin work being as awful as it was, but he saw no other option.

Genji confronted him at the bar closest to the hotel where _Hanzo Shimada_ had checked in just two days ago. It was a solid guess for Hanzo’s location, and Genji found his guess had been sound. Hanzo was present at the bar and he was drinking. Of course he was drinking. He was usually drinking. They talked. Several times, Genji could tell Hanzo wanted to fight him. They talked some more, for a very long time into the night.

It turned out Hanzo hadn’t had a hit in Denmark, just a few people who were interested in hiring him. Both he and Genji knew he didn’t need the money but neither of them brought it up. Genji bought another plane ticket for Hanzo, and they flew down to Spain.

Genji knew the Overwatch network hadn’t dissolved just because Overwatch was officially disbanded. He spoke to a few people, most of whom he didn’t recognize. Though, it seemed they all knew who _he_ was, being that cool cyborg ninja guy from years ago. They rode a hovercar up to Watchpoint: Gibraltar. Hanzo didn’t talk much.

“Winston!” Genji exclaimed.

“Genji, it’s so nice to see you again,” Winston said. “It’s very nice to meet you both,” he said to Zenyatta and Hanzo.

“Greetings,” Zenyatta replied.

Hanzo bowed but didn’t say anything.

“I hear voices!”

Before they knew it, Lena was springing down from the floor above, tackling Genji and embracing him.

“I missed you so much, love!”

“I missed you, too,” Genji said. A shimmering golden glow entered his vision, and he looked up. He almost cried at the familiar sight before him.

“Dr. Ziegler,” he said. Lena let him go.

Angela smiled. She made eye contact. Of course she did. Genji knew she saw right through his mask, his visor. He’d missed having people look him in the eye, familiar people giving him a warm gaze. They hugged and held each other tightly.

“Will you ever call me by my first name?” Angela asked with a gentle laugh.

“It has been so long,” Genji said.

“It has,” Angela whispered. “Did you miss me?” she asked in that teasing tone of hers.

“Of course,” Genji said. And he meant it. He meant it with all of his heart.

Dinner was fun. There was a camaraderie that Genji hadn’t experienced in years, but now enjoyed. He thought a person really did miss something more when it was gone. Even though the group was smaller, it was still nice to be eating with everyone. He knew it wasn’t the same. Ana should be here chiding Jesse for improper table manners. Jack would be talking about the next mission. Gabriel would be rolling his eyes.

“Torbjörn said he’ll be here tomorrow,” Winston said to Angela, who nodded in response. “Reinhardt will be here within the week. Jesse...” A sigh. “Could use some money. I couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not, but I made sure he’d have a ticket so he’ll be here in the next few days.”

Lena was enthusiastic getting to talk to Zenyatta, though she seemed just a bit subdued. Perhaps it was the shock of Mondatta’s recent death, or perhaps she’d learned calmness in the past few years. She tried talking to Hanzo, too, despite the fact his replies contained minimal substance.

Later, Winston spoke to Genji and Angela about the attack on the very facility in which they stood. They reminisced for a bit, laughed about the old days, but the conversation grew serious in a snap.

“I hate to give you a job so soon after you come back...”

“Do not worry. I came back because I wanted to help out,” Genji said. “So, how can I be of service now?”

Winston handed Genji a manila folder, which he opened. Footage from the infrared security cameras. Screenshots and clippings from recent newspapers. Photographs.

“Talon,” Winston said. “One troublesome Talon member in specific was here. You might’ve heard of him already.”

“Reaper,” Genji said, flipping through the papers.

“Correct. As long as this base is active, we have something he wants.”

“What would that be?” Angela asked.

“All of the Overwatch agent data. It’s what he was after when he was here. He was extracting the data on everyone’s location. Based on what we know about him and what we’ve heard about him, I don’t think he’s dead.”

“It would be too much to hope for, wouldn’t it?” Angela said with a sigh and a shake of her head.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Winston replied. “We have to be realistic about the matter.”

“What would you like me to do?” Genji asked. “Hunt him down?”

“No, not yet,” Winston said. “Keep an eye on this base for a bit. Take your brother with you, because with a wildcard like this, you might need support.”

“Do you think he’ll return?” Angela asked.

“It’s possible. But even for him, it’d be risky.”

They discussed the matter for a while. In the end, it was decided that Genji and Hanzo would keep an eye on the base from above, Lena keeping an eye on the entrances. Angela and Winston would work inside and try to get in contact with the other remaining former agents. Mei had actually been the first to arrive and was already on her way to Asia now, off to investigate a mountain ecosystem. Zenyatta had his own work to tend to, always on the quest to help others out.

“But he’s welcome to come back here anytime,” Winston added.

Genji talked to Hanzo about their task later that night.

“[So what do you think, brother?]” he asked.

“[It is a paying job. I will perform what is needed of me,]” Hanzo replied.

“[Well... okay then. Let’s take shifts.]”

 

Over the next few weeks, Genji and Hanzo had the chance to catch up on the ledge attached to the base’s upper entrance. It had been rough going at first, because there were times neither of them wanted to say much, if anything. They swapped stories about their travels. Hanzo described interesting clients. Genji told him about the fate of the Shimada Clan, surprised to see how satisfied Hanzo looked to hear it. They watched a few cat videos. Once or twice, they discussed the guilt of killing people. Many more times than once or twice, Jesse had interrupted their conversations.

Genji engaged him, was glad to pull him in. He could tell that Jesse had a crush on Hanzo, and was amused Hanzo was oblivious to the fact. They talked about fighting, training, food, Overwatch.

On a cloudy night, after Hanzo had drifted off as Genji readied himself for his shift, Jesse dropped in. He was disappointed Hanzo was already asleep, but sat with Genji anyway. They didn’t say anything for a while.

“You ever miss ‘em?” Jesse asked, cigar bobbing in his mouth.

Genji was silent, frozen.

“Yes,” he finally said. “Yes, I do.”

Jesse, eyes closed, smiled ruefully. “It ain’t ever gonna be like the old days ever again. Those days’re far behind us,” he said.

Genji’s heart thudded in his chest. Still the heavens hung above him, but where was Gabriel’s smile? What a ridiculous thought to have now. It had been years...

“Do you remember?” Jesse asked. He continued, not waiting for a reply: “The look on Jack’s face when he was talkin’ strategy or whatever, about somethin’ serious but boring, and when Ana would interrupt him.”

Genji smiled. Of course he remembered. The indignance that would flare in those bright blue eyes, the angry flush in his cheeks. But then Ana would ruffle his hair and the table would laugh.

“The focus Angie had when patching you up before sending you off with a smile.”

Genji remembered that, too. Very well. The memories of his cyberization were foggy at best, dizzying and sickening at worst, but Angela’s smile had reassured him... it would be okay. He would be okay. Just hold on a little longer.

“Heck, I even miss Ana tellin’ me not to put my feet on the table or whatever. Little things like that.”

“You always were a handful,” Genji said.

“Damn right. Ana took it upon herself to whip me into shape, even if I was Gabriel’s responsibility.”

At the sound of Gabriel’s name, Genji’s breath caught.

“And shit, it’s gotta be him I’ve got the most stories about. After you hopped on board, he was always comparin’ me to you, y’know? I’ll be honest, I kinda resented you a touch. For bein’ a better... person. Agent. Whatever.”

Genji’s face went red. Yes, he remembered that. He wondered how often it had happened, though, Gabriel telling his student to be more like Genji. That had always been a piece of validation Genji had kept close to himself. Even before he started liking Gabriel, it had meant a lot to him to know Captain Reyes of Blackwatch approved of him.

“He complimented you indirectly pretty often,” Jesse said. “It was always about your better attitude or better performance or better everything. In all that time, mean ol’ Gabriel only ever gave me one or two nice words to my face. I think he didn’t do that too often ‘cause I didn’t impress him as much as I could’ve. Ana liked me more than him.”

“Ana adored you almost as much as her own daughter.”

“Yeah, she really did, didn’t she? Tough love, though. I wish I could’ve told her how much she meant to me. She taught me so much, even when I thought I was all learned out from Gabriel’s sessions. Oh I learned plenty from him, too. All about what a good student you were.”

Jesse laughed, but Genji was embarrassed. It hadn’t really been that drastic, had it? He never thought Gabriel saw _that_ much in him. No, he had eyes only for Jack.

It seemed Jesse caught Genji’s thoughts somehow. “He really must’ve thought you were somethin’ special. Hey, it’s not like we had a bunch of cyborgs workin’ in Overwatch.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “Y’know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was awful taken with you.”

“W _-what?”_ Genji stammered, blushing red enough for him to be grateful for the mask. His internal systems whirred. “No, no, he liked Jack... It was always Jack, you know.”

“Yeah, of course I know that,” Jesse said. He turned, peering at Genji with a curious look on his face. “Jack meant the world to him. They meant the world to each other. But a part of me always had this suspicion, see, that Gabriel... kinda fancied you?” A shrug. “‘Course, that’s just conjecture at this point.”

“I loved him,” Genji whispered.

“Come again?” Jesse asked, smoke curling out of his mouth.

“I loved him.”

“Well, now.”

Genji looked away, up, up at the sky obscured by fluffy clouds. His heart was beating so fast he felt sick but oddly alive at the same time. Human.

Jesse puffed his cigar.

Genji tried to calm himself.

“Did you really?” Jesse asked.

Genji felt his eyes prick with tears.

“More than my own brother.”

He didn’t turn to see Jesse’s eyebrow raise at that reply, but Jesse continued nonetheless: “Do you think he knew?”

“No. At least, I don’t believe so. I never told him and he never made it seem like he knew. Up until now, I haven’t told anyone. I thought maybe I should tell Hanzo, but it sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?”

Genji had to remove his mask now, because the tears were leaking from his eyes and it had been an eternity since he’d last cried his heart out.

“How is he to react, if I tell him I am still in love with a dead man?”

Genji laughed, pressed his shaking palm to his eye and wiped the tears away even though they kept coming.

“Hey, hey, don’t be like that,” Jesse said. He sounded and looked worried as he pulled his serape off to drape it over Genji’s shoulders.

“It’s not fair,” Genji said, raising his voice. “It’s not _fair._ I never even had a chance, did I? I knew he loved Jack and I loved him anyway. It hurt so much, why does it still hurt? I have been away from him for years and now he is dead and I am still hurting. It’s not fair. I wish I was dead. I wish he got to live instead of me. I hate this, I hate this.”

Genji held his knees to his chest and sobbed. Jesse put an arm around him, patted him, said nothing. What was there to say?

“I miss him so much,” Genji cried, quivering all over.

“It’s okay, Genji,” Jesse said quietly.

“I wish I got to know him better. I wish I... I do not know. I wish things turned out better. I wish I got _over_ him. I reconciled with myself and even my brother who almost killed me. I found myself again. So why do these thoughts and feelings still haunt me?”

Jesse kept an eye on the ground as Genji wailed, sheer torrents of grief pouring forth from him in crashing waves. But considering the volume of his lamentations, Jesse didn’t think anyone would be very eager to approach the base now, regardless of good or bad intentions.

Genji had eventually passed out, exhaustion having taken him. Not in terms of his energy, but emotionally. He curled up next to Hanzo. Jesse took the rest of his shift for him, his cigar burning orange in a black night.

 

Another few days ticked by without much happening. Except... for the one time Genji had woken up before it was his shift. The sun had just slid over the horizon, bathing everything scarlet and fiery orange. Hanzo was there. Jesse was there. And they were _kissing._ Genji made a noise somewhere between a gargled choke and a startled squeak.

Hanzo jumped. Jesse, clearly lost in the moment, brought both of his hands up to Hanzo’s face and just kept kissing him.

Genji’s mouth was wide open. He raised a hand, as if signalling he wanted to say something but no words came out.

Hanzo pushed Jesse off of him, but Genji had already jumped off the ledge and scampered away, his laughter ringing out in the morning air as he made his daring escape. Genji turned around. Above, still on the ledge, he could see Jesse smile and Hanzo scowl before he allowed himself to be pulled into Jesse’s warm embrace again.

 

The next nights, after Hanzo stopped frowning so much over what Genji had seen, were more pleasant. After a few more days, Hanzo was content to cuddle up with Jesse regardless of who was watching or talking to them. It made Genji happy to see his brother content. He’d always been so stiff, rarely allowing himself to relax. The three of them, occasionally accompanied by Winston or Angela, would talk and talk and sleep then talk and sleep and talk some more.

Hanzo and Jesse took their shifts together. Genji wished he could have what they now had. He was amused because he’d thought to himself in the past, mentally joked about how Hanzo would never, ever reciprocate Jesse’s affection. Now they were spending all their time together.

Genji rolled the stem of a flower between his thumb and forefinger. He’d plucked it from some shrub that day on a post-lunch stroll, even though he knew Zenyatta and Mei would never approve. But it had brought him comfort, so he’d taken it with him. It had little white petals. Winston had told him it was a candytuft. What a charming name for a plant.

“Yes, the Gibraltar candytuft. Mei was fond of these. She brought it up whenever she visited this facility,” Winston had said.

Genji hummed a tune to himself as he tore the petals off, one by one, before letting them fall. They fluttered to the ground far below. Somewhere behind him, Hanzo and Jesse slept soundly, both wrapped in Jesse’s red serape. They’d been dozing for maybe an hour now. Genji pinched another petal off the flower. Before he could let go of it, a chill crept up his spine.

He whipped around.

Nothing.

Just the wind picking up, then. The nights were cool, after all.

Genji let the petal fall, and watched its descent. It and the others before it were all tumbling in the light breeze. They swirled before settling back on the ground. But even destroying local flora didn’t soothe Genji’s nerves. He tried to recall Zenyatta’s teachings. He tried to channel calmness.

He couldn’t. Why couldn’t he? This was bad. This was very, very bad. He had to wake Hanzo, he had to-

“Tearing flowers apart now, are we?”

Genji almost fell off the ledge. He took a deep breath, and forced his internal systems to settle. He usually kept them running automatically based on his mental state, but he could manually override that if he needed to.

It didn’t feel human, but right now, he needed to calm down. Think rationally.

“Who’s there?” he asked, standing, ready to reach for his blade.

“Just someone dropping by to say hello.”

Genji whirled, but saw nobody behind him. Hanzo and Jesse were still asleep. Nothing was amiss. And considering the fact that Genji could see in the dark if he wanted to, this was very odd. The voice was too close... Maybe the person was cloaked? Genji switched his vision to infrared.

“So how’ve you been?” the voice asked in that odd growly tone. Where the hell was it coming from?

Genji raised an eyebrow under his mask. He scanned the area around him, then the ground. Still nothing.

“I have been fine, I guess,” he said. “I am not used to being bothered in the middle of the night like this. If you would like to ask me out on a date, you should show your face.”

Was that a laugh just then? It was almost reassuring. Genji straightened, walked to the other side of the ledge. Scanned the boxes. Nothing.

“You really shouldn’t have left yourself so exposed out here.”

Genji cocked his head, wondering if the person could even see that gesture. Oh well. It felt right to do it.

“Me standing out here, that’s what you consider exposed?” he asked. “You should see me in the bedroom.”

“This isn’t the best time to flirt.”

Genji shrugged. “You never know,” he said. He was thinking about Gabriel again. Of course he was. He couldn’t help it. He’d had this kind of conversation in his head, over and over again...

“Fine. I’ll play along.”

“You will?” Genji asked, clapping his hands together in exaggerated delight. “Will you hold my hand, too?”

A sudden realization. He looked up. A smoky white mass appeared in his vision and he switched it from infrared back to the regular setting. Shit. Of course. Above him, this whole time. When the murky black swirled around and collected in front of him, he felt his metaphorical stomach drop.

“I know you,” Genji said, swallowing the tremor that was trying to rise to his voice. He’d faced so much worse than a walking, talking shadow, and now he froze up? Damn it.

“Do you now?” the walking, talking shadow asked softly. His low voice made Genji shiver and this time, he could not say for certain it was from fright.

“You’re Reaper. You... have a very nice figure under that cloak.”

He was taller. Genji had to look up to meet his gaze, even if he was meeting that gaze through two masks. What was that, about three inches of height over him? It really made all the difference. He was standing so close.

“I am Reaper,” Reaper said, glossing over Genji’s comment about his figure. “What about it?”

“What do you want?”

Genji wished he could draw his sword. When he was fighting, his useless thoughts were discarded with ease, thrown aside to the wind. When he was fighting, it was just himself and his blade, himself facing his opponent. And Genji did not lose fights very often. He was hyperaware of Hanzo and Jesse behind him, asleep on the ledge. 

Reaper leaned in a little and Genji forced himself to stay still. He knew he was shaking and hoped against logic that Reaper couldn’t hear that goddamn whirring noise he made when he was riled up, be it nervous or excited.

He was tall, he was so tall. And what was up with that mask? Some kind of skull? A bird, perhaps? Genji wanted to reach up and take it off, but he couldn’t move. He was paralyzed, rooted to the spot.

He felt a hand rest against his hip and inhaled sharply. Reaper chuckled. Genji screamed at his body to move, for the manual override to work, but it didn’t, whatever he was feeling and thinking now, he could not focus long enough to push himself into action. Genji couldn’t look down to see, but he could feel on his white plating, those claws - they felt like claws - rapping against the surface of his hip.

Reaper studied Genji. Even with the mask on, Genji felt bare. He found a spot of comfort in the knowledge that Reaper couldn’t read him. First of all, he was hardly moving beyond that damn shiver he couldn’t stop. Second, only people who’d interacted with him for years could understand whatever message he was delivering. Without facial expressions, Genji had put body language to good use. But he wasn’t moving now.

Reaper’s other hand went up to his mask, caressing the edge of it. Genji stopped breathing. Not that he needed to breathe, not that breathing did much for him, but he stopped nonetheless. He felt Reaper’s hand go to the back of his head, and panic started seeping into the fringes of his fear. He couldn’t know, could he? How to take the mask off? But then his hand went up to cradle the back of Genji’s head and he told himself to please, please, please calm down...

What the hell was this guy playing at? He hadn’t attacked yet. Genji had been ready for an attack. He hadn’t been ready for weird foreplay.

Reaper worked Genji’s ribbon between two fingers and, bringing his hand back, tugged at it almost imperceptibly. But Genji could feel it, of course; it was attached to the back of his head. It was hardly taut, pulled just enough to be felt as Reaper’s hand drew down lower.

He removed his other hand from Genji’s hip and brought it to his chin, tipping it up. Their masks touched as Reaper leaned into Genji’s.

_“Hola, gatito.”_

Reaper let go of Genji’s ribbon, rested his hand on Genji’s lower back.

Genji had no idea, no idea at all how he was still standing. As far as he was concerned, a part of him _snapped._ Just like that. If he thought his slight quiver was annoying before, that was nothing compared to the loud whir emanating from his body now as his internal systems struggled to keep him cool. The vents in his shoulders opened and steam hissed as it freed itself. Outside of fighting or sparring, that didn’t happen. Even then, that didn’t always happen. Genji felt overloaded, flooded with emotion.

“Dance with me,” Reaper said.

“What?” Genji asked, surprising himself by managing to reply at all.

Reaper didn’t explain. Instead, he just shoved Genji off the ledge, forcing him to act. Genji adjusted his position midair and landed on his feet. Reaper thudded down next to him.

“So, ah... I take it you don’t want to go out with me?” Genji asked, reaching for his sword.

Reaper was in front of him again in an instant. Genji’s heart lept into his throat. Reaper pulled Genji in by his waist, took his hand, spun him around once before dissolving into dust and rematerializing, shotguns drawn.

Genji was thoroughly confused, but took the example and drew his sword. He’d only been in training with the shotgun users a few times, and fewer still with those who dual wielded them. Gabriel had been one of those people.

“Do you know how to tango?” Reaper asked.

Genji couldn’t tell if the question was serious or not. “No,” he answered truthfully. “But I know this dance.”

Reaper melted into darkness and led Genji away from the research facility. Genji followed without hesitation, tracking Reaper’s shadowy form with ease. They were far from the facility when Reaper rematerialized again. His shotguns glinted in the moonlight and his cloak billowed.

He lifted one and fired.

Genji hopped to the side, dodging. Yes, he remembered how to avoid those pellets. Of course, he remembered all the time he’d spent with Gabriel. His chest ached. If only he was back in training now, if only he was yelling taunts as Gabriel aimed at him and missed every shot. Not because he had bad aim, but because Genji was just that quick. If only.

_Blam, blam, blam, blam, blam._

Genji jumped and ducked and rolled and jumped and jumped again in midair, a little trick of his thanks to his being a cyborg. He advanced towards Reaper, who deflected his blade with those heavy-looking gauntlets of his and with two more shots to fend him off.

Genji avoided an elbow to the chest. Reaper discarded his shotguns and, again, pulled Genji in. Genji could’ve jumped away. But he didn’t. He allowed himself to be pressed to Reaper’s torso and even relished the feel of Reaper’s claws on him. He was spun, dipped, then Reaper melted away and retrieved fresh shotguns.

Genji predicted all of his moves before he made them, which might’ve been an advantage had Reaper not been able to do the same to him. Midfight, Genji didn’t think about it. He only focused on the actions. He had to keep moving if he didn’t want to get shot. Reaper and those who fought like him had tremendous firepower on their side, but Genji was quicker and lighter on his feet. He was hard to hit.

Every so often, Reaper would pull him close again, and Genji would toss his blade over to his left hand, taking Reaper’s hand with his right. Reaper told him where to step and how to move. Genji was a very fast learner.

He lost track of time. It wasn’t as if Reaper was going to tire him out anytime soon, and Reaper himself didn’t seem tired either. The stars above them had moved. Had Genji been paying attention, he would’ve realized it had been hours.

And still they danced, interlocked in their strange twisting tango. Reaper would fire two or four shotguns worth of shots, Genji would dodge or deflect them, and then they’d be in contact again. The pattern melted into a mutual fluid grace. The only words that passed between them were Reaper’s instructions. Genji was in a mental state of pure focus and concentration. He’d never been in a fight so breathtaking, one that had enveloped and immersed him so wholly.

After another hour or two - time didn’t matter now, but there was the tiniest peek of sun on the horizon - Genji wasn’t even aware of his surroundings anymore. It was just him and Reaper, his blade, Reaper’s shotguns, Reaper’s voice. His heart purred at a steady rhythm, and his internal systems worked hard, but perfectly, like a well-oiled machine.

Genji felt a clawed hand at his waist and was ready for Reaper to tell him what to do. But Reaper hovered over him, and held him like that for a beat longer than Genji had expected.

“I have to go now,” he said.

“What? Wait, what?” Genji asked. “How long has it been?”

“Five hours.”

“Oh... Isn’t one of us supposed to be dead?”

Reaper’s free hand caressed the side of Genji’s mask, and this time, Genji felt no fear at the gesture. He wanted to lean in closer, despite the fact he’d technically been fighting with this spectre for five hours straight.

“I’ll visit again,” Reaper said. As with all his words, it sounded like he was growling and maybe kind of grumpy. But... the promise sounded genuine.

“I will wait for you.”

“Will you?”

“Yes.”

Reaper’s tossed shotguns didn’t litter the ground; they’d melted into thin air, it seemed. Genji took note of that. How peculiar. He felt Reaper helping him stand back up again, even though he could’ve done so himself. Reaper could’ve tried dropping him and still Genji would’ve righted himself with ease. He liked it this way more.

They stood close to each other. Reaper lingered. Genji wondered what he was thinking. Genji was thinking about him. His mask. His voice. His guns. His hourglass figure. His nice hips. His nice thighs...

“You remind me of someone,” Genji finally said.

“Oh?”

Genji reached up to Reaper’s hand on his mask and rested his own hand on top of it.

“He’s dead now.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. He is dead now.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Genji held Reaper’s hand a little longer.

“Why are you here?” he asked, quieter now. Sadder.

Reaper didn’t answer the question.

“I’ll be back tomorrow if you’re around.”

Genji didn’t expect him to answer the question.

They were enemies, after all.

Reaper dissolved before him and Genji stared, even after his shadowy body was out of sight. He stared into the dark, and stared some more, wondering if Reaper was still around. Maybe looking back at him, or down at him from somewhere. It was another full minute of Genji remaining stationary before he walked back to the facility and climbed up to his ledge.

He poked Hanzo awake.

“[You were supposed to wake me a few hours ago, weren’t you?]” Hanzo asked, frowning. Jesse stirred next to him. Hanzo leaned over. “Wake up, Jesse,” he said, so softly it made Genji smile.

“[I lost track of time. I apologize, brother. I’ll sleep now.]”

Hanzo’s glare lost its edge. Jesse yawned, and took his seat next to Hanzo. He leaned his head on Hanzo’s shoulder. Genji draped the serape over them before curling up to sleep. He didn’t need much sleep, but like with eating, he didn’t feel like a human if he avoided sleep.

So he closed his eyes. In the dark, he could see Reaper’s cloak twirling under the stars. The image persisted into his dreams. Genji dreamt of him and Reaper continuing their deadly tango, but over a lake that reflected all the stars in the brilliant night sky above.

At some point, Reaper became Gabriel, and Genji just kept dancing with him.

 

Reaper visited again the next night. And the next. And the next. They’d head to the same spot where gunfire was out of earshot, then they’d dance and fight and dance and fight. For a few hours at a time, Genji would alternate between jumping and slashing, then taking Reaper’s clawed hand and learning how to tango.

They didn’t talk much. Reaper was always the first to pull away because Genji didn’t keep track of the time. He’d dash back to his perch, wake Hanzo and Jesse, then sleep. He took comfort in knowing Reaper was with him, above the ledge or maybe on another ledge. Somewhere. Reaper had told him he would stay close. Then Hanzo or Jesse would wake Genji, he’d wait for them to fall asleep, and he’d run off again, knowing Reaper would follow.

He got antsy whenever the others tried talking to him. He loved Angela, but even around her he had a hard time reining in his impatience. He wanted to get back to Reaper. He longed to feel nothing more than their fight. Hear nothing more than Reaper’s voice, his blade slashing, shotguns firing, rhythmic steps on the ground.

When Genji was with Reaper, he felt free from his life and from the vices of the world.

At some point, Reaper brought his music player with him, clipped it to his belt, and gave them a tune to dance to. Genji learned to dance in time to the music.

“You’re getting better,” Reaper had said once.

It was the only compliment he’d paid thus far. Genji hadn’t replied to it, but he held it close. It was only three words, hardly a compliment at all, but it set him on fire. He didn’t think too hard on it. He just knew it meant a lot to him.

“Put the sword away.”

Genji sheathed his sword and approached Reaper without fear. He knew very well this could be a trap. At any point, this could turn into a deadly trap. But he didn’t care. He felt his heart pound not from fear but with excitement. He felt light and joyful and free of worry. A small part of him told him he could die. All it took was a clear shot.

There had been a few scrapes. Even enhanced agility and the skill that they both possessed didn’t mean their fighting was safe. It was still serious. It was clear neither of them aimed a little off to the side as a precaution - they were shooting and slashing for real. One misstep and either of them could be gravely injured.

Genji loved it.

He stepped closer. Reaper lifted his shotgun, pointing it straight at Genji’s head. A warning or a threat, perhaps. Genji took one more step towards him, feeling the muzzle bump against the top of his visor.

“Do you fear death?” Reaper asked, no hint of emotion in his words.

“Should I?” Genji asked, tilting his head.

“Yes.”

“I do not.”

“If I told you I’d shoot, what would you do?”

Genji smiled.

“I’d ask you, would you pull the trigger?”

There was stillness for another stretch of time that might’ve been infinite and might’ve been no more than the blink of an eye.

Reaper lowered his shotgun, tossed both to the ground. Genji closed the distance between them. He felt the familiar press of Reaper’s clawed hand to his lower back. They tangoed wordlessly. It must’ve looked silly, a cyborg and a shadow dancing together. Genji didn’t care.

Their foreheads - the foreheads of their masks - touched, and Genji lamented not being able to actually touch Reaper. But he was still... in bliss.

“I don’t think you would,” he said.

“Would what?” Reaper asked.

“Pull the trigger.”

They spun.

“Why is that?”

“I’m very hard to kill. I met death once and he sent me away.”

“And if he came back to collect you, then what would you do?”

Reaper dipped him. Genji looked right at his mask, would’ve been looking into his eyes had he not been wearing a mask. He wondered if Reaper could tell.

“Maybe ask him if he wanted to dance.”

Reaper laughed. He still sounded gruff and growly and even condescending when he laughed, but when Genji heard it, he knew he was past the point of no return. He would be content to dance with Reaper until the end of the universe.

“Keep your sword where it is. Let’s see if you can dance for the whole song.”


	3. i thought about loving you.

The nights were easier, and Genji spent most of his daytime sleeping or meditating by the candytuft shrubs. Then at night he’d return to his post and meet Reaper again and again. It became routine.

The half moon glowed above as Genji scaled the wall and hopped onto the ledge. Reaper had gone to take a look at the shrubs Genji told him about. At first Reaper had thought the idea ridiculous, but Genji assured him they were lovely flowers and maybe he’d like them, too. So Reaper went.

Genji nearly fell off the ledge when he saw Jesse sitting up, smoking a cigar. Hanzo was asleep. Jesse studied Genji, a grave and cold look in his eyes. Genji was unable to speak.

“Start talkin’.”

“What did you see?” Genji asked immediately.

Jesse blew out smoke. “I’ll be honest, I might’ve interfered if I wasn’t so intent on not blowin’ my cover,” he said.

“You followed me?”

“Genji, y’oughta know I don’t sleep easy. Sometimes the nightmares pull me in but I break free of ‘em. It’s been a little better with Hanzo around, but... I noticed you weren’t here, either. Normally I wouldn’t look around after wakin’, ‘cept that dream I had was pretty damn rough.”

“I am sorry to hear that.”

“Not important.” Jesse said as he shook his head, crushed the end of his cigar to the ledge. “I did see you when I looked down. You were clearly headed someplace, so I followed. Don’t look so surprised.” Genji had hardly cocked his head, but of course Jesse understood his expressions. “I ain’t like you or Hanzo, but I can lay low if I need to. Gabriel taught me plenty about stealth.”

Genji shifted, unsure where this was going.

“It took all I had not to call out when I saw _him._ And it was even harder when you pulled out your sword, he pulled out his shotguns. Both of you were holdin’ your own, then he tossed his guns aside like trash, and you two... danced for a bit.”

“The tango.”

“Yeah. I ain’t an expert in that department, but it looked real intimate. I gotta say, well... I ended up comin’ back here. I thought to myself if you didn’t come back soon I’d have to go look for you again. I thought about it for a while.”

“I am here now.”

Jesse nodded. “Here you are,” he said. “A part of me honestly didn’t think you’d show. A part of me wasn’t sure what the hell to think.”

Then he shook his head, a stern look on his face. No. That wasn’t a stern look; he was angry. His expression was fierce.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“I don’t know.”

“Shit, Genji, it was your fuckin’ job to keep an eye out for him... And you end up dancin’ a goddamn tango with him? Has he tried to hurt you?”

“Yes. We’ve fought.”

“Didn’t look like you were tryin’ to kill each other.”

“I do not pull my punches, as you might say.”

Now Jesse’s expression turned serious.

“Do you know who he is? I thought to myself, there’s no way you don’t... Yet you wouldn’t be that selfish if you did know. But could you be that clueless if you didn’t?”

“Clueless? What? I know who he is. That is Reaper, the person we’re keeping an eye out for. He is with Talon,” Genji said.

“Fuck, Genji. Don’t make me doubt myself on this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Has he spoken to you?”

“Yes, mostly to... to instruct me. When we are dancing.”

“In what language.” Jesse’s words were flat. Genji was confused.

“English, what else?” Genji looked down. “No, when he first appeared here, he also spoke to me in Spanish.”

“And what kinda guns does he use?”

“Shotguns. Two of them. He tosses them aside when they’re out of ammunition and they melt away.”

“How much height has he got over you?”

“About three inches.”

“Didn’t you notice a goddamn thing about the way he fights? Doesn’t he kinda _remind_ you of someone we know?”

Genji was silent.

Jesse was either livid or desperate to drive his message across.

“Captain Reyes is dead,” Genji said.

“If anyone, if anyone fuckin’ survived that explosion...”

“It would be him and Commander Morrison.”

“I just wanna know why he’s workin’ against us,” Jesse muttered.

“Jesse,” Genji said. His voice quavered. He swallowed hard before continuing, “He makes me happy.”

At that, Jesse’s features softened. “I know,” he said, looking down at the sleeping Hanzo clutching Jesse’s serape. “Seein’ you two dance... Nothin’ about it felt fake. And trust me, I know Gabriel well enough to say that.”

“I don’t...” Genji took a deep breath. “I don’t know if I want to believe it’s him.”

“Why not?” Jesse asked. “Ain’t you in love with him?”

“Yes, but I-I thought he was dead. For so long. What would I do...?”

Jesse shrugged. “Talk to him. You’re thirty-five goddamn years old. Life ain’t gonna wrap up nice and neat for anybody, ever.”

Genji looked up to see the stars twinkling in the distance.

“You have a point.”

“Don’t I always?”

 

Reaper was back the next night. Genji walked right up to him and Reaper didn’t take his shotguns out to attack.

Genji was shaking.

“Captain Reyes,” he said as he bowed.

Reaper cocked his head. The words hung in the air. Genji felt a great knot of tension threaten to devour him, snarling and cold.

“Haven’t been called that in a while.”

Genji’s hands formed fists. He struggled to recall the words he’d wanted to throw out, but now he just felt hollow.

“Why?” Genji asked.

“Come here.”

Genji looked up. Reaper didn’t have to repeat himself before Genji walked up to him. Reaper’s hands went to the back of Genji’s head, then his lower back to pull him in closer. Immediately, Genji felt himself surrounded by Reaper’s looming presence, shadowy cloak billowing around him. Genji’s visor touched Reaper’s mask. Genji wrapped his arms around Reaper’s neck.

The intimacy that had become so familiar over the past few weeks felt different now. Different and yet so much more intimate. Genji’s heart thundered. He knew he would overheat if he thought about this situation for too long.

“You knew this whole time,” Reaper said.

“No... I didn’t.”

“Some part of you knew.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You fought just like when we used to spar. You’re better now, but so am I.”

“I’ve sparred with other dual shotgun users.”

“I know how you fight. It was different with me.”

“You were always better than the others. I had to push back harder.”

Genji’s internal systems whirred. He inhaled.

“So tell me, why didn’t you accept that it was me? Why didn’t you tell the others you found the Reaper you’ve been waiting for?”

“I liked you too much. That is an answer to both questions. I knew you were with Comm- Jack, so I never told you how I felt.”

“Thought I wouldn’t care?”

Genji nodded slightly.

“I always did like you, _gatito.”_

Genji released steam from his shoulder vents and Reaper chuckled. That was a sound Genji would never tire of hearing.

“Did you?”

Reaper let go of Genji’s waist and, with both hands, pressed at the back of his head to release his mask. He pulled it off with more care than necessary before tipping his own up.

Genji inhaled sharply.

“Life hasn’t been good,” Reaper said quietly.

Reaper’s face looked as if it had been drained of almost all his blood, with a downright ashen complexion. Scars and scratches adorned all of the skin Genji could see. He couldn’t explain it, but there was an instability, an odd visual aberration reminding Genji that Reaper could, at any moment, dissolve into the shadows. His eyes were full white. His hair was a wavy mess, most of it smoking, black tendrils clinging to his mask and hood. His facial hair was less smoky, though his beard showed visible streaks of grey. He grinned - a joyless expression - and Genji swore his heart stopped at the sight of... fangs.

“Are those real?” Genji asked, awestruck.

“Would you like to find out?” Reaper growled.

Genji was reminded of Hanzo wearing a wolf pelt with its fangs still intact. Damn it, this was not the time to be thinking of his brother’s stupid outfit.

“Yes,” Genji replied. He was breathless. He had no idea how all of this had happened.

Reaper kissed him. 

Without hesitation, Genji kissed him back.

They parted. Genji gazed into Reaper’s eyes and in them, he saw Gabriel. This was nothing like the deep rich brown that had been Gabriel’s irises, but Genji didn’t mind. He was half machine, why should he judge? How could he? And even if he could... he didn’t.

“Come,” Genji said, taking Reaper’s hand.

They headed over to where the shrubs and flowers grew. The facility had a nice vantage point overlooking the ocean, but Genji liked resting on grass more than he liked the scenic view. It was comforting. He lied down and Reaper joined him, taking a seat but not lying down.

“Would you have wanted me to tell you?” Genji asked. “How I felt?”

“Maybe.”

Genji reached up, removed Reaper’s mask. Reaper set Genji’s mask down on the grass and Genji placed Reaper’s next to it. Then he reached up again to pull Reaper’s face down for a kiss, the sweetest he could manage.

“I was in love with you.”

“Why?” 

“I do not know. I do know. There were many reasons. I looked at you and I would ask myself, how can a person be so handsome? So... beautiful? You would never be overly polite or nice like Jack. But for some reason, I liked that. The toughness and the way you carried yourself. I was jealous of Jack, especially when I...”

Genji trailed off, blushing. He had Reaper’s gaze on him and he was heating up.

“When I thought about you so much.”

“What did you think about?” Reaper asked, leaning over.

His breath was hot against Genji’s neck. How was that even possible? For him to be physically warm in any way? It felt so good.

Genji didn’t lie.

“I thought about you on top of me. I thought about your thighs and your ass out of those pants, and how I would like to touch you, and... I thought about servicing you in every way. However you wanted.”

Reaper sank his fangs into Genji’s neck and he mewled like a virgin.

“I told myself I would do anything for you if you only asked,” Genji said, quivering. “It was easy, when I didn’t have to consider how it would happen. I accepted that it wouldn’t. It was good enough for me, to get to see you everyday.”

“Don’t talk about the past,” Reaper said, his hand sliding down Genji’s waist.

“What if I do? Will you kill me?”

Genji felt the soft huff of breath against his neck. Laughter, almost.

“Maybe if I feel like it.”

“You should have done it the first night, then.”

“Didn’t feel like it.”

Genji smiled.

“I could, though. Right now.”

“I do not think you would.”

“And why is that?” Reaper asked, tugging his clawed gauntlets off. He positioned himself over Genji.

“You like me too much.”

“As if I couldn’t still tear you apart with my bare hands.”

Genji gave a lascivious moan that made Reaper growl.

“Oh yes, I’d like that very much. Mark me. Make me yours. Tear me apart, Captain Reyes.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

Genji cocked his head. “Don’t I?” he asked.

“Dios mío. You really have a thing for flirting,” Reaper said, one of his hands trailing down.

“I can stop if you want. But I don’t think you want me to stop.”

Reaper’s white eyes glowed like the moon. Genji reached up, running a hand through his hair. It felt like smoke or silky clouds if they were solid. It didn’t feel like hair.

“You smell nice.”

“That is the exhaust.”

“Why the hell does it smell like lime?”

“Dr. Ziegler had some interesting ideas.”

“Did she also decide how you’d take it up the ass?”

Genji glanced down. “Yes, in fact,” he said. “If that is where you want to put it.”

“Do I have a choice here?”

“Yes. It makes no difference to me either way. I will feel it,” Genji said, pushing Reaper’s hand aside from his inner thigh. 

Reaper looked down between Genji’s legs. Genji pressed his fingers to his crotch.

“You just... sort of, um, push up here.”

“You’ve been making a mess this whole time,” Reaper said, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s self-lubricating,” Genji replied, defensive. “Both entrances.”

Reaper put his hand back and immediately started fingering him. Genji’s face flushed.

“Did she peg you?” Reaper asked.

“D-Dr. Ziegler? No, she used other methods for her... interesting research ideas. She made comments like how she thought... somebody might get a kick out of riding me one day.”

“So you do have a dick.”

“Yes. We don’t have to use it, though.”

“Maybe another time. We don’t have all night.”

“Can you go all night?”

“What have we been doing for the past few weeks that would make you think otherwise?”

Genji grinned and tipped his chin up to peck Reaper’s lips.

“Point taken, Captain Reyes.”

“Can you get off just from being fucked?”

“Yes. Not everyone can, but my ability to have sex isn’t completely human in the first place.”

Reaper nodded. “Mine isn’t either,” he said.

“We are a perfect match, then.”

Genji laughed because he recognized that head motion. Even though Reaper’s eyes were full white, Genji knew what an eye roll would’ve looked like.

“Not ready for my sappy words?” Genji asked, giving a smirk.

“I will be afterwards if you do your job well,” Reaper said, getting off of him and standing. “Sit up.”

Genji got up and sat on his knees, eager and not at all afraid to show it.

Reaper unclipped the belt of his that held the red canisters for his guns. Black powder he rarely needed to use, but once he’d told Genji he refilled his shotguns manually if he felt like it. The belt fell to the grass with a thud. He undid the belt actually holding his pants up. When Reaper pulled his cock out, Genji took a brief inward moment to thank himself for not having a gag reflex.

“How do you do with oral, _gatito?”_ Reaper asked, petting the top of Genji’s head.

Genji wrapped his fingers around the base of Reaper’s cock and started stroking.

“I could have my partners screaming for mercy in minutes. If I ever wanted to be on top and they let my mouth near their dick, they’d be begging for me to have my way with them.”

“Is that a threat?”

Genji smiled.

“More like a warning.”

He licked the tip of Reaper’s cock before sucking at the head, almost experimentally. Ready to gauge Reaper’s reaction to being touched. Genji looked up and batted his eyelashes.

“You are going to be the end of me,” Reaper muttered.

Genji tried not to smile and failed.

He bobbed on Reaper’s cock, but only the upper half. It was clear that although Reaper was enjoying himself, if that sweet, lovely growling was anything to go off of, he was also growing impatient. Genji relished the feel of Reaper’s hand on the top of his head, trying to push him further. He grabbed Reaper’s hips before continuing at his own pace. Reaper exhaled hard in frustration.

Genji pulled back and licked his lips. He looked up.

“Aren’t we eager?” he asked, his words a purr.

“I know you can take more than that,” Reaper said. He was trying to keep his cool but Genji could tell he was starting to breathe a little heavier.

“Can I?” Genji asked.

“Yes, you fucking slut.”

Genji felt heat rush through him. He stroked Reaper’s cock again, careful with his cybernetic hands.

“Do you want to find out, Captain Reyes?”

Reaper pet the top of Genji’s head and Genji leaned into the touch.

“Yes.”

“Are you afraid to hurt me?”

“No.”

“Perfect.”

Genji readjusted his position, sitting on his knees. His hands went to his lap, arms straight, shoulders raised just a little bit. He tipped his head up, closed his eyes, opened his mouth wide. Reaper held Genji by the top of his head, took his cock, and drove it into Genji’s mouth. He was rough and careless. Genji had a feeling the back of his throat would be bruised come tomorrow and it turned him on more.

When he felt Reaper was really starting to get off to fucking his mouth, he grabbed Reaper’s hips again and pulled back. Genji gave Reaper’s cock a tongue bath, this time down the whole length then doing the same for his balls. Reaper growled. He hadn’t moaned yet and Genji wondered if that was a noise he ever made. It made no difference to him; he thought all of Reaper’s noises were heavenly.

“So what’s your excuse this time?” Reaper asked.

Genji rested on the grass again, spread his legs invitingly.

“If my oral skills have proved satisfactory, perhaps you would like to go further than just a blowjob,” he said, biting his lip because yes, he was a slut and he knew it.

Reaper got down to his knees, positioning himself over Genji again. Genji rested his legs over Reaper’s shoulders. When Reaper placed a hand on his hip, Genji felt excitement course through him. The anticipation. The tension. The energy of it all. He’d missed having sex, but even then, no sex had ever been as electrifying for him as this moment right now with Reaper.

He’d never been so in love with his partner before.

“You make a convincing excuse,” Reaper said, sticking his fingers into Genji.

“And you’re so rough with me.”

“You like it rough. You wouldn’t have let me do that to your mouth otherwise. And don’t you remember the old Overwatch parties? We’d all get so goddamn drunk and you’d tell us all about how you do in the bedroom. I _know_ you like it rough.”

Genji brushed wispy hair away from Reaper’s eyes.

“Guilty as charged?” Reaper asked smoothly.

“Yes,” Genji replied, breathless as he was fingered.

“How long have you been ready?”

Genji smiled. “When you told me earlier that you always did like me, and called me kitten again. You could’ve thrown me down right then and there and had your way with me.”

“Almost wish I did,” Reaper said.

“Almost? Why is that?”

“I like playing with you.”

Genji blushed and was about to reply with something that might’ve been witty when Reaper took his cock, held it over Genji’s entrance, and thrust into him all in one swift motion. Genji cried out as much in surprise as he did in pleasure. Reaper held still as Genji shook all over, adjusting to the sensation. It had been a while since he’d done anything down there.

“You’re tight,” Reaper said.

“Thank Dr. Ziegler,” Genji said, fingertips digging into Reaper’s back. “In any case, I don’t think that’s all my fault. You have... quite the girth.”

Reaper raised an eyebrow. He held onto Genji’s hips and started thrusting. Genji moaned not because he wanted to remind Reaper he was a slut for him, but because being fucked felt so good. He wondered if Reaper could see it. Genji could hardly keep his eyes open. He was panting, his face was all red from him being aroused and out of breath and in _love._

Reaper blushed a deep red, though it was very faint. He was starting to pant, too, and Genji was delighted. He bucked his hips up. He looked into those beautiful white eyes, white and glowing like the moon and all the stars. Genji could stare into those eyes for hours, but Reaper broke their tenuous eye contact by leaning closer to reach Genji’s neck with his mouth.

“Do you want me to tell you?” Genji asked, his heart racing. He could feel puffs of hot breath against his neck. “How I loved you all those years ago?”

“Go for it,” Reaper said, nuzzling against Genji’s neck and making him squirm.

Genji wished he had nails to dig into Reaper’s back but he didn’t. All he could do was hold on as tight as he could.

“I would tell myself after every time I saw you smile, I’d sell the heavens to the devil if I c-could only... see you smile aga- _ah!”_ Genji was cut off by a hard thrust. “A-again...” he finished, breathing heavily.

“Aren’t you adorable,” Reaper whispered before giving Genji’s neck a bite.

“I didn’t mind your relationship. I mean, I was jealous, but... I liked seeing you happy.”

Reaper slowed his pace, removed a hand from Genji’s hip to caress his head. The gesture made Genji smile even as he continued to speak.

“I also t-told myself if I would sell the... _mmn,_ the heavens to the devil to see you smile again, well... I would give anything to service you.”

“You’re servicing me right now.”

“And I didn’t even have to offer you my soul.”

Reaper kissed Genji’s neck before giving another hard thrust. Genji’s back arched and he moaned loudly, feeling heat and light and love inside of him. Reaper pulled out and Genji looked at him, waiting for a cue to assume the next position. An instruction. The next step. Just like when they had danced.

“Turn over,” Reaper said.

Genji did so, presenting himself to be fucked. He could feel his lubricant running down his inner thighs. They were making a mess, but the grass would recover.

“You still have an amazing ass,” Reaper said, spanking him.

Genji whined. Reaper could elicit all the noises he wanted from him, Genji would make them and be glad to do so. He felt Reaper’s hands grab hold of his hips again and thanked the stars for tonight.

“So both of them are self-lubricating,” Reaper said.

“Yes. I’ve been told they feel different, though.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. You get off to being fucked in the ass?”

“I do. What other purpose could it serve for me in this cybernetic state?”

“Wait,” Reaper said, loosening his grip a smidgen. “So you’re telling me Angela gave you an asshole for the sole purpose of being fucked?”

“Yes, Captain Reyes. Most of what I eat, if I choose to eat, is burned for heat when I need it.”

Reaper laughed a little and Genji couldn’t blame him. It did sound silly when he put it in context like that. Of course, it hadn’t been a big deal to Genji himself. Ironic because it was his body, but he didn’t care. He was getting laid. That was what mattered to him now - the current moment where Reaper was hovering behind him, hands on his hips, cock hard.

Reaper stuck a finger into Genji’s asshole and Genji groaned.

“Do I need to prep you?” he asked.

“No,” Genji said. “You can if you want, but it won’t hurt if you don’t. Well, it’ll hurt a little. But only because I like it that way.”

He didn’t see Reaper smile behind him because he was facing the grass, but he felt the tip of Reaper’s cock press against his entrance and even as anticipation flooded his chest, Genji managed to relax. He’d done this before. He knew how it went.

Reaper’s cock was already slick from Genji’s other hole. He slid in slowly and with minimal resistance.

“Fuck, that’s even tighter.”

Genji panted. Reaper kissed his nape and he shivered.

“Do you have a prostate?” Reaper asked. His voice had shifted pitch just a bit. Enough to tell Genji he was having a good time.

“To be completely honest, I do not recall,” Genji replied even as he was being fucked.

Reaper slowed to a halt and rolled his hips forward, making Genji whine.

“I... I don’t remember all of my sexual encounters, Captain Reyes. I wasn’t always the one being penetrated. It was certainly a part of me before the... the incident, but I don’t remember if Dr. Ziegler...”

“She would.”

 _“Mmn,_ fuck,” Genji said, fingers digging into grass and dirt beneath him. “She... she would give me one, wouldn’t she? But it was never a big deal to me, you know. I could g-get off by penetrating and being penetrated either way. Do you mind, Captain Reyes?”

“Of course not,” Reaper said as he started to thrust hard again. “I was asking entirely for _your_ benefit.”

“It means so... so much that you care about me, Captain Reyes.”

Reaper released Genji’s right hip to bring his arm around Genji’s abdomen as he leaned over and bit Genji’s neck. His teeth went into the metal easily, and he was starting to leave quite the marks behind.

“I like it when you call me that,” he said, his voice low and filling Genji with heat.

“Captain Reyes,” Genji moaned.

Reaper gave a downright carnal, animalistic snarl and if Genji thought he was thrusting hard before, that was nothing compared to now. He yelled - _“fuck!”_ \- as pleasure surged through him.

“Yes, yes... yes! Yes! I-I, oh... yes! I...” Genji gasped, clutching at the ground.

Reaper replied: “Is-” _thrust._ “-something-” _thrust._ “-the matter?”

“Fuck!” Genji yelled. “I do have a prostate,” he managed to say.

Reaper slowed down to process the words. He chuckled and rammed hard into Genji’s ass again, making him cry out.

“Good to know,” Reaper said.

“Is sex with you always this rough?” Genji asked, voice breathy.

“No. But I know you can handle it and keep up with me.”

“Yes, Captain Reyes.”

“You’ve been doing a good job, _gatito.”_

“Th-thank you, Captain Reyes.”

Genji was focusing most of his efforts on not having his face driven into the dirt. He’d been shoved forward some, but holding onto the grass didn’t help much. Reaper hit his prostate again and his back arched as he cried out:

_“Ahh, fuck!”_

“I love your sweet little voice.”

Genji almost came at the compliment.

“Thank you, Captain Reyes,” he said, gasping for air.

“And both your sweet little holes. All three of them, really.”

Genji wondered how Reaper could still hold a conversation with ease. He was panting a bit, and still growling with every particularly hard thrust, but his words didn’t falter. Genji wished he could see Reaper’s face, though he had to admit being fucked with his own face down and ass up by _Gabriel Reyes_ was already everything he’d ever dreamed. And more. It was so much hotter than he’d fantasized about. His fantasies didn’t hold a candle to actually having sex with the man whom he was currently being fucked by.

“D-do you think... you can last longer than me?” Genji asked.

“Of course.”

“Are you close?”

“Close enough.”

“And you w-would... wager yourself? Against me? When I c-can control when I... fuck... when I finish?”

Reaper smiled and gave Genji’s neck another kiss. Genji wished Reaper could touch him forever. Feeling Reaper’s cock move in and out of him, he wished he could have that for even longer. It was tempting, knowing they could both stay here and just... have sex. All the sex they wanted.

“I know you’d do it if I asked.”

Reaper nuzzled Genji’s neck and he purred. It sounded like his internal systems whirring, but the noise was clearly coming from his throat.

“Mm, well... we don’t have all night...”

“Exactly.”

“So, tell me when.”

“How about...” Reaper pulled back until it was just the tip of his cock resting in Genji’s asshole. _“Now,”_ he said, thrusting in hard.

_“Yes, Captain Reyes!”_

Genji cried out as he allowed pleasure to overload him.

It came in waves and he knew Reaper could feel the press of his climax around his cock. Reaper bit down on Genji’s neck and growled so loud Genji could practically feel the rumble of the sound. He moaned, feeling Reaper cum inside of him. It was so, so fucking hot and he was beyond grateful he didn’t need to be fucked with a condom.

“Fuck, that feels good,” Reaper said, breathing as heavily as Genji. His lips pressed to Genji’s neck again and he pulled out. “Wow. That’s... a mess.”

Genji got down on his back again, his breathing starting to even out. He could feel the fluids between his legs and inside of him. There really was a mess.

“Here,” Reaper said, pulling a cloth out. Where had that come from? His pocket? The same place as his shotguns - seemingly from thin air? “Hold still.”

Reaper cleaned Genji up with great care, more than necessary. Genji thought it was sweet. He had a feeling Reaper might’ve treated him to a tongue bath, but that would escalate in seconds considering his libido. Genji could go another round or ten if he wanted. It seemed Reaper could do the same, and it was a damn shame they couldn’t due to time.

“Thank you, Captain Reyes,” Genji said.

“You can call me Gabriel, you know,” Reaper said. “You’re the only person whom I’ve told to call me by my name but never did. And now, nobody will ever be allowed to... except for you. If you want.”

Genji looked into Reaper’s pale moon eyes and smiled. Reaper looked down. His face was still deep red, but Genji wondered if he blushed just then. He cleaned himself off and eventually put all of his belts back on.

They stood together for a while. Genji’s head rested against Reaper’s chest, and Reaper held him with one arm, pet his head with the other. He purred.

“I had fun,” Reaper said.

Genji’s arms went around Reaper’s waist.

“I would like to do that again,” Genji said. “If you do, too.”

“That sounds good.”

Genji inhaled and exhaled, feeling happier than he had in a long time. He looked up. Reaper made eye contact with him before giving him a kiss. Genji’s heart fluttered.

Eventually, they parted, donned their masks, and went their separate ways again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \\\ [here's some](http://ubercharge.co.vu/post/145946992501/kusuarts-%E1%95%95-%E1%90%9B-%E1%95%97) [good art](http://ubercharge.co.vu/post/146347398931/steelsuit-twitter-stuff-and-doodles)
> 
> edit: [i drew some genreaper nsfw too enjoy](http://slutmadas.tumblr.com/post/155128842062/i-was-gonna-do-a-really-rough-sketch-but-then-i)


	4. it was nice.

Genji was more upbeat in the following week, as if he wasn’t happy enough already. He and Lena made plenty of conversation at mealtimes. He was also glad to see Jesse and Hanzo enjoying their time together. They held hands and held each other and to see Hanzo smile when he’d always been one for frowning... It made Genji smile more, too.

Of course, there was the issue of Reaper’s identity.

Genji was fraternizing with the enemy. He was having _sex_ with the enemy. The very man who was trying to take down Overwatch. It didn’t matter if Reaper was physically on top; Genji knew when he had someone in the palm of his hand. 

It was strange to admit it to himself, even if he was only doing so in his thoughts. But he _knew._ Reaper was very much fond of him. Obviously, it wasn’t just the sex. Genji took note of little things like him asking Genji to call him by his real name. Him murmuring sweet nothings in Spanish when they cuddled after, which had happened a few times. Genji believed Reaper cared about him. And he’d had never been wrong about a person liking him before.

He had to tell Hanzo. This was too personal to take to Zenyatta, but Hanzo, maybe... Genji knew it was ironic that he still trusted his brother more than a person like Zenyatta, yet he did nonetheless. Hanzo meant a lot to him. His opinion would, too.

“Oh, Genji! Can you come over here?”

Genji turned. Angela was waving to him and he walked over.

“Hello, Dr. Ziegler. How can I be of assistance?”

Angela looked tired. There were dark circles under her eyes and her hair was messier than its usual neat state. Genji wondered if it would be rude to question her on it. Probably.

“I apologize if you were working,” she began.

“No, I was not. Let me help you.”

“Alright, I just need a few books. You’ll find them in the east wing, do you remember where I kept books there?”

“Yes, of course.”

Angela handed Genji a sticky note and he was off. The east wing wasn’t far. Genji knew which way to go and found the room where he knew Angela stashed a few items, rarely used but handy nonetheless. It didn’t take long for Genji to find the books Angela was asking for, because they were all alphabetized by author surname. He stacked them up and headed back.

“Dr. Ziegler! I found all the books you were-”

Genji nearly dropped the books he was holding. He was flooded with an immediate sense of icy dread snaking up his spine like an unwelcome stranger entering his home. He couldn’t understand what he was seeing. He couldn’t...

Reaper.

Holding in his arms an unconscious Angela. He looked up, saw Genji. Froze for a moment. His robe started to wisp away, but he didn’t move.

Genji wasn’t sure what to do. Draw his sword? He shook. His chest hurt. He immediately wanted to go over to Reaper, be held by him. Be kissed by him. This didn’t make sense at all. Hadn’t Reaper been staying away from Overwatch for a reason?

“Angela,” Genji said quietly. But he was looking straight at where he knew Reaper’s eyes were.

He couldn’t stay still. He could not allow his feelings to dictate him now. Not now. All he needed to understand was that a dangerous enemy of Overwatch had trespassed into an Overwatch facility and was now holding the unconscious Dr. Angela Ziegler in his arms.

Before Genji could unsheathe his sword or brandish his shuriken, he was interrupted by low, angry words.

“Put her down, you son of a bitch.”

Genji didn’t need to turn around to see Jesse behind him, because he could already see Jesse’s Peacekeeper in his peripheral vision.

“You don’t understand,” Reaper said, sounding defensive.

Jesse walked forward. He was smiling but he was bristling. This was the angriest Genji had ever seen or heard him in the past ten years. No, he wasn’t just angry. He was furious.

“What, like I gotta hear you out now? I don’t think so. I swear to the Lord above, I will rip your throat out myself, Gabriel Reyes.”

Reaper didn’t even react to Jesse’s words.

“Hanzo! Get in here. I found your brother,” Jesse called.

Hanzo came inside from the ledge. Genji saw relief flash over his features. Wordlessly, he took his bow and nocked an arrow, pointing it at Reaper.

Reaper ignored him and turned to Genji.

“Genji,” he said. Now there was a hint of something in his voice. Desperation? Apathy? What was it? Genji couldn’t tell. He realized that, for the first time in a long time, he was actually scared.

“Genji, get the fuck outta here before he hurts you, too,” Jesse said.

“Gabriel,” Genji whispered. He felt tears in his eyes and confusion in his heart.

“[Genji, _go,]”_ Hanzo said. He sounded calm.

“[No!]” Genji yelled, shaking his head. He turned, glaring at Jesse and Hanzo. “Lower your weapons,” he snapped.

Jesse gawked at him. “You can’t expect me to just-”

“Did you hear me?” Genji demanded.

Looking more than a little perturbed, Jesse lowered his gun. Hanzo lowered his bow. Both of them looked over to Reaper, who still hadn’t moved.

Genji turned around and walked up to Reaper.

“Genji-” Jesse started, but Genji cut him off:

“Silence.”

Genji made eye contact with Reaper. Or at least, did the closest he could, and looked right into Reaper’s mask.

“Gabriel,” he said. “Explain yourself.”

“She _collapsed,”_ Reaper said. He sounded exasperated, but not upset. Not at Genji. “It’s probably her insomnia and overworking herself. It hasn’t been this bad for around... twenty years or so. Not since she was a teenager. The stress isn’t helping her sleep. I saw her fall and I caught her. I was going to set her down somewhere safer.”

Jesse was speechless.

“Take her,” Reaper said, handing Angela over to Genji. “I should go now.”

“Wait,” Genji said.

But Reaper shook his head. He reached a hand up to the side of Genji’s mask before going into his wraith form and leaving.

Genji looked down at Angela in his arms, limp but still breathing. Then he looked out the ledge and into the evening sky. He was crushed by sadness. Nausea swirled inside of him.

“Don’t leave me.”

 

Genji had forcibly shut his systems off after helping Angela to bed. It was the only way he wouldn’t have to think about it for a while. Like taking a nap, but easier. When he woke up again, it was around ten or eleven. The stars twinkled above the ledge Genji had gotten to know so well. Jesse’s serape covered his torso, and a blanket had been tossed over him. It smelled like Hanzo. But neither Jesse nor Hanzo were around now.

Genji folded the items before getting up and stretching. He felt a little better. A little more ready to deal with what had happened earlier. Maybe he’d go talk to Jesse or Hanzo about it, or both of them because they’d both been there and tended to stick together anyway.

“Good evening, Lena,” he greeted. “Have you seen my brother and Jesse?”

Lena waved hello.

“I think they both left for a stroll earlier,” she said.

“Thank you, I’m going to go look for them.”

“Stay safe, love!”

The Watchpoint was lonely without others around. Genji had gotten so used to Reaper’s presence swirling around him, following or leading him to where they’d danced or to where they’d had sex every night for the past week. But now he was alone.

Genji looked around. Where the hell had they taken a walk to? He knew Lena would’ve noticed had they returned, because she was on door duty. If they’d re-entered the facility, the security system would’ve told her and then she in turn would’ve told him. So they were still outside.

“Hanzo? Jesse?” Genji called, because he wasn’t sure what else to do.

He knew they wouldn’t leave the base just to fuck, because they did that in the facility when they thought nobody could hear them and their very loud noises. It wasn’t a bad night for a stroll, though, really.

Whether it was on purpose or not, Genji was approaching the spot where he and Reaper had danced so many times. Because from there, nobody in any part of the facility could hear gunfire. It was far enough for the volume of Reaper’s shotgun blasts not to bother nor alarm anyone.

Genji heard a gunshot.

His initial reaction was worry, but then he relaxed. Of course. A revolver. It was just Jesse working on target practice again. The Watchpoint had a few places for that, but none would be much of a challenge for a marksman like Jesse. He came all the way out here to test his skill? Genji almost laughed; it was just like him to do that.

He was about to call out to Jesse when there was another gunshot. Genji stopped. He recognized that sound, because he’d heard it countless times before. He ran.

Jesse was on the ground, Peacekeeper in his hand, pointed up. Reaper stood over him, one shotgun pointed to his head. Half of him was smoking. There was a fresh scratch on his mask. Genji wondered if that had been a bullet grazing him when he saw Hanzo, lying on the ground a few meters away with blood pooling beneath his body.

“Hanzo!” Genji yelled, dashing over before Jesse or Reaper could react to his sudden arrival.

“Genji,” Reaper and Jesse said in unison.

Reaper started to lower his shotgun. He didn’t take his eyes off Genji. But Jesse did. He turned back to Reaper, fury in his eyes. He pulled the trigger.

Genji cried out in horror, Reaper in pain as the bullet entered his neck. He went up in smoke, his shotguns clattering to the ground, and was gone, into the sky and out of sight in an instant.

“Gabriel, wait!” Genji shouted.

Jesse held his left side, growling. His shirt was torn and bloody. Hanzo was still alive, but his leg had been shot. It seemed he’d been knocked out. Genji drew his blade and pointed it at Jesse’s neck.

“Why?” Genji asked, shaking his head.

Jesse was still. He swallowed, replied:

“Didn’t want him to shoot you, too.”

Genji clutched Hanzo’s shirt so hard it tore.

“He wouldn’t.”

Jesse didn’t say anything. Genji picked Hanzo up and carried him back to the facility.

 

Hanzo would be fine, was what Winston said. Genji was not fine. He sat alone on the ledge, knees hugged to his chest. Somewhere behind him sat Jesse’s red serape and Hanzo’s blanket that he’d folded neatly.

He hoped Reaper was okay.

He knew Reaper would come out of that unscathed, but he was still worried.

He couldn’t help it.

Genji turned his systems off again. He could nap all he wanted until his shift. So he curled up and let the worries drift away.

 

Genji woke to unnatural heat pressed against the side of his head. He felt a hand pet his waist and he purred.

“Gabriel?” he asked, getting up.

“Hola, gatito.”

Genji felt so much relief he couldn’t hold it. He sat up and nuzzled against Reaper’s neck before getting on his lap.

“Surprised you realized it was me so soon.”

Genji smiled.

“I’d recognize your thighs anywhere. Who else could it have been?”

“Anyone else. Your brother, maybe. Jesse _did_ shoot my neck.”

Genji’s fingertips ghosted against Reaper’s throat.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine. I’m not easily killed,” Reaper said, taking Genji’s hand and lacing their fingers together. “I shouldn’t stay long.”

“No,” Genji said, pressing closer. “Don’t go.”

“Your coworkers don’t trust me.”

“I trust you.”

Genji felt Reaper exhale.

“Why, Genji?”

“I just do. Can you trust me?”

Reaper cocked his head. “Sí,” he said.

“Then believe me.”

Reaper was quiet for a bit. Then he said, “Sleep, _gatito._ I’ll watch over you.”

“And if the others see you?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just sleep.”

Genji removed his mask to give Reaper a kiss. He closed his eyes and drifted off in Reaper’s arms.

 

“You have a visitor.”

Genji woke. He was been shaken awake, though rather gently with a clawed hand on his shoulder. He was still in Reaper’s lap and that made him feel safe right away.

“Hm?” he asked, turning.

Jesse stood at the doorway to the ledge, clutching his folded serape and Hanzo’s blanket.

“Oh,” Genji said.

“Hey,” Jesse said, hand on his bandaged waist. “Mind if I take a seat?”

“Sit,” Genji said.

Jesse sat down beside the pair.

“I’m sorry for shootin’ you, Gabriel.”

“Apology accepted,” Reaper said. It sounded pretty sarcastic, but then again, so did most of his words.

“I didn’t... I just... I got angry. I got protective. After you shot Hanzo, I stopped thinking. But Hanzo wanted me to talk to you. Soon as he woke up, first thing he did was grab me. Told me to make sure Genji was okay. Told me to talk to you because I couldn’t let him outta the bed.”

Jesse looked down at his cybernetic hand.

“Told me to tell you he was fine with you because...” He looked at Reaper. “You make Genji happy.”

Reaper didn’t say anything.

“And, shoot, if Hanzo’s fine with you, I’d better learn to be fine with you, too. He ain’t got a lick of anger in him from you shootin’ his leg. Said he knows when a shot’s self-defence or whatever. Said I should tell Genji what happened.”

“Hanzo saying all of that sounds like make-believe,” Genji mumbled. He heard Reaper chuckle quietly.

“I went to hunt him down,” Jesse said. “Brought Hanzo with me to the place where I saw you two dancin’ that one night. Kept my gun close... and shit, there he was. Gabriel. Just standin’ there. I yelled a few things and... the situation escalated.”

Genji wasn’t sure how to reply.

“You... went looking for him?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Jesse said.

Genji felt vulnerable all of a sudden. He wanted his mask back on. He knew his expression was betraying him, showing his hurt. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I forgive you,” he said.

“Christ, Genji...” Jesse said, looking pained.

“I forgive you,” Genji repeated. “We have bigger problems. Let us not dwell on the past.”

“Oh, yeah. I mean... I guess,” Jesse said. “Like, uh, whether or not you’re still tryin’ to kill us, Gabriel.”

“I’m not trying to kill all of you. I was looking for a few people in particular and it just so happened other people were in my way.”

“That’s still murder, Gabriel.”

“I know, Jesse.”

Reaper patted Genji’s head.

“Listen,” he said, the sarcasm gone from his voice now. He sounded serious. “I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize my relationship with Genji. So stop worrying.”

Jesse blinked.

Reaper felt Genji cling a little harder to him and he added, “He means too much to me now.”

Jesse smiled, looking impressed. “Never did think I’d see the day you’d show this side of yourself to other people,” he said.

“You’ve told the others, though,” Reaper said. He growled his question: “Haven’t you?”

Jesse gave a nonchalant shrug.

“I can see them in the window, Jesse.”

“Alright, alright. So I told a few people.” Jesse’s smile melted into a neutral expression. “Go talk to ‘em.”

Genji got off of Reaper’s lap. Reaper stood and walked inside. Genji didn’t follow him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the inevitable conversations. The yelling. He sat with his knees to his chest, and looked inside.

Winston looked furious, but Lena’s hand on his shoulder kept him in place. She said something, glanced at Genji, and Winston took a deep breath. Angela was speaking, still looking tired, but less so than before. Reinhardt had his arms crossed as he listened. Torbjörn looked like he had a word or two to say. But nobody had shot anyone else yet, so things were already going better than they were earlier. Genji looked away and stared at the ground.

“Hey,” Jesse said.

Genji didn’t reply.

“Figured you might wanna know, but... he’s after Jack. Mostly Jack.”

Genji closed his eyes.

“To kill him, I mean. He could’ve killed myself or Hanzo easily if he wanted to, but, uh. Like I said, there was a lotta yellin’. He made his intentions clear. They didn’t have a pretty breakup, I’ll say that much.”

Jesse stared at his folded serape.

“Things went bad between ‘em. Not ‘cause of you or anyone else, but ‘cause of them. It didn’t work out. Tensions rose... I left. I don’t know all the details myself. Spec Angela might. ‘Course, Jack does. He’s around. Somewhere.”

Jesse inhaled. Looked up into the night. Exhaled.

“Somethin’ Gabriel said earlier... I don’t think I’ll be forgettin’ it for a while. He told me, in Spanish, _‘I kept saying all I had left was revenge. Now I have something more, and you’re not gonna fuck it up for me.’_ Then a few more colourful things I ain’t gonna repeat. You get the gist of it, though. Sounds kinda silly, but I’ll be damned if it ain’t the truth... Gabriel’s tryin’ to do better. For you.”

Jesse patted Genji on the shoulder before standing up.

“Tell me if he ever does you wrong, Genji,” he said. “‘Cause I swear I’ll be right at Hanzo’s side, ready to shoot him down. I’m kiddin’, I mean, don’t think that oughta ever happen... but you get what I’m tryin’ to say.”

A pause.

“G’night, Genji.”

Jesse re-entered the facility.

A few minutes later, Reaper came back out. His mask was off. He sat and pulled Genji back onto his lap.

“Hello,” Genji said softly.

Reaper kissed him and Genji kissed him back, needy.

“I spoke to them.”

“What did they say?”

“A lot of things. Most of them being rude things, which didn’t surprise me. They all care about you a lot.” Reaper pet Genji’s head. “I might stick around here, but not for long periods of time.”

Genji smiled.

“I mean, this team is still insufferable. It’s only you I want to see.”

Genji kissed him again. Reaper held him off because he wasn’t done talking yet.

“Your brother’s alright, though. I guess.”

Genji perked up. “Hanzo’s awake?” he asked.

“Yeah. The others let me talk to him, though Lena had her guns out the whole time. The levitating omnic was watching over him, too. Handing him peaches for some reason.”

“That’s Hanzo’s favourite food,” Genji said, grateful Zenyatta had remembered that random fact. Hanzo would appreciate the gesture.

Reaper raised an eyebrow before continuing, “Anyway, he’ll be fine. I only shot him once,” to which Genji gave a skeptical eyebrow raise. “I swear, he’ll be fine. He and Angela were the only ones who weren’t angry. They’re weirdly similar when they’re serious.”

“Yes, I have noticed.”

“Then he told me something I wasn’t expecting.”

“What was it?” Genji asked.

“He said, ‘thank you.’”

Genji was tearing up.

“I guess he thinks I’m really doing something he can’t. Like he doesn’t know how to make you happy so he’s actually grateful I’m around.”

“Hanzo was always so protective,” Genji said, laughing even as tears trailed down his cheeks. “My dates often told me how scary he seemed.”

“He clearly regrets being the one to hurt you most of all. More than any date,” Reaper said, brushing Genji’s tears away with the back of a claw.

Genji hummed thoughtfully. “He knows I forgive him, yet he does not forgive himself. I am sure he is working on it,” he said.

“Genji.”

Genji shifted, turning and straddling Reaper to face him.

“Yes, Gabriel?”

Reaper smiled and Genji’s heart thundered.

“You’re finally calling me by my name.”

Reaper kissed him. Genji’s arms went around his neck and they held together before finally parting.

“You have the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen in my life,” Reaper said, making Genji blush, systems whirring.

“Funny,” Genji said, brushing a wispy strand of hair away from Reaper’s eyes. “I could say the same to you.”

They kissed again. Genji felt at peace.

“Gabriel.”

Reaper made eye contact with Genji and the energy between them was dramatic. Hot, like fire.

Genji’s hand pressed to the side of Reaper’s cheek, holding him tenderly. “I love your eyes,” he said.

Reaper held Genji’s waist like he’d done so many times when they were tangoing under the moonlight and stars.

“I love you.”

Genji knew he must’ve looked surprised, because Reaper gave a half-smile before laughing. Genji started crying again and felt ridiculous but he was happy, he was so, so happy, and he couldn’t hide it for a second. His shoulder vents hissed.

“Why are you crying?” Reaper asked, reaching for Hanzo’s blanket and dabbing Genji’s face with it. “Need to hear it again? I love you, Genji. I mean it.”

“Because I love you, too,” Genji said. He laughed and he kissed Reaper. He tasted salt and he didn’t care.

He wasn’t sure why the words had made him so emotional. Maybe a part of him had just needed to hear Reaper say it out loud. And now that Reaper had said it, made his reciprocation clear as the night sky above, Genji felt unabashed joy. He knew Reaper meant it. Genji could see it in his eyes, those beautiful pale moon eyes of his.

“I love you, too, Gabriel. I always have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \\\ i had a very good time writing this. the best. for the most part, it was like a nonstop flow of inspiration, something that doesn’t come by all the time. so even though i was writing it in between two fics, i still had a fucking blast and wrote it in a week. pretty fun!
> 
> anyway genreaper means a lot to me please somebody ship it with me i’m so lonely and sad


End file.
